Foreign and Commonwealth Office

European Commission

Lord Stevens of Ludgate: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is appropriate for a European Commissioner to comment on the behaviour of a political party in the European Parliament.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: I refer the noble Lord to the Code of Conduct for European Commissioners. This makes clear that Commissioners retain the right to express their personal opinions.The current Code of Conduct is available on the European Commission website at: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/pdf/code_conduct_en.pdfA copy of the currrent Code is attached.



Code of Conduct for European Commissioners
(PDF Document, 730.55 KB)

PKK

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will open channels of communication with the Kurdistan Workers' Party in the light of its engagement against ISIS and efforts to reach agreement with the government of Turkey.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We welcome the continuing efforts of the Turkish government to resolve the Kurdish issue, including through the introduction of legislation addressing minority rights and consultation with civil society. We also welcome ongoing negotiations between the Turkish government and the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, to reach a peaceful solution. We have already shared lessons learned from the UK’s experience in Northern Ireland with senior Turkish Ministers, politicians and officials. The UK stands ready to help in any way we can.Our embassy in Ankara maintains a regular dialogue with political parties in Turkey, including the pro-Kurdish HDP (People’s Democratic Party), and with Kurdish civil society organisations. However, the PKK is a proscribed organisation in the UK. There are currently no plans to delist or un-proscribe the PKK as a terrorist group.

Russia

Baroness Falkner of Margravine: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Russia's commitment to international law and conventions.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Russia’s actions in Crimea and the east of Ukraine are a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and are in direct contravention of international law, including the UN Charter. We are also concerned by Russia’s selective application of human rights conventions, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These ongoing violations demonstrate Russia’s disregard for international law.

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of bilateral aid from the Department for International Development in the last three financial years has been channelled through non-governmental organisations (1) based in the United Kingdom, and (2) based in the recipient countries.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The table below shows the proportion of bilateral aid from the Department for International Development in the last three calendar years which has been channelled through non-governmental organisations (1) based in the United Kingdom, and (2) based in the recipient countries.   NGO Percentage of DFID Net Bilateral ODA201120122013NGO Based in the United Kingdom8%9%10%NGO Based in Recipient Countries2%2%3%

Department for Education

Teachers: Training

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to incentivise high-performing graduates to take up teacher training.

Lord Nash: The Government is committed to recruiting the most talented graduates to enter initial teacher training (ITT). We offer a range of financial incentives to attract the very best graduates into teaching. From 2012/13, the highest bursaries for ITT have been awarded to graduates with first or 2:1 degree classifications and for subjects in which it is traditionally difficult to recruit for. In September 2014, we announced increases to tax-free ITT bursaries for chemistry, computing, maths, physics and languages trainee teachers to £25,000 for graduates with first class degrees starting their ITT in 2015/16. Trainees with a 2:1 degree training to teach physics will also receive £25,000 and those training to teach chemistry, maths, computing and languages will receive £20,000. We have also increased bursaries in biology, geography, design and technology (D&T), and primary maths, and introduced a new bursary for religious education (RE). Full details of financial incentives for ITT are published online at: www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/funding/postgraduate-funding In addition, we work in partnership with professional bodies to offer tax-free scholarship awards of £25,000 to those entering chemistry, computing, maths and physics ITT. These prestigious awards are aimed at high-quality graduates who are passionate about their subject and have the potential to be inspirational teachers. As well as the financial award, scholars gain access to a range of support and resource not available to non-scholars including: membership to a range of scholar communities; mentoring, including career mentoring, by expert subject teachers and employers; networking events and educational trips throughout the training year and; continuing professional development opportunities. Upon completion of the course, scholars are expected to become ambassadors for the scheme sharing their resources and support with other teachers and colleagues. Since 2010, the proportion of new entrants to ITT with a 2:1 or first class degree has increased from 63% to 73% in 2014/15. Larger increases have been seen in subjects such as maths and physics. The Government continues to fund Teach First, and for 2015/16 ITT we have increased the number of places by 33%, from 1,500 to 2000. We have also recently announced an expansion of the popular Chairs in Maths and Physics programme, which looks to attract some of the brightest and best post-doctoral researchers into the classroom by providing enhanced salaries and a dedicated training and development programme. Decisions on financial incentives for ITT are taken on an annual basis in light of recruitment performance.

Primary Education: Teachers

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what special measures are in place to encourage more males to train as primary school teachers.

Lord Nash: We value diversity in the workforce and want to attract high quality teachers. Recent figures show that 13% of teachers in publicly funded primary schools in England are male. However, the proportion of males starting primary initial teacher training programmes in 2014/15 is 21%.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Freud on 22 July 2013 (WS 152) that the Department for Work and Pensions had engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers to provide independent advice in relation to strengthening quality assurance processes across all its health and disability assessments, when the results of that audit will be published.

Lord Freud: This was an internal review completed more than a year ago. Since then significant improvements have been introduced. As such, the review is out of date and the Department has no plans to publish the findings.

Personal Independence Payment

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people receiving Personal Independence Payment have undergone an intervention to review their entitlement.

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with Parkinson's receiving Personal Independence Payment have undergone an intervention to review their entitlement.

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have (1) to pilot the Personal Independence Payment quality assurance process, (2) to publish an evaluation of the Personal Independence Payment quality assurance process, and (3) to consult on the Personal Independence Payment quality assurance process.

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with movement disorders have applied for Personal Independence Payment.

Lord Freud: The information requested regarding interventions is not currently available.   Information on claims made to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) broken down by condition is not available. By 21 October 2014, 1,535 people classified as having a movement disorder as their primary condition were in receipt of PIP.   The Department has robust processes in place to assure the quality of Personal Independence Payment assessments and decisions about benefit entitlement, through regular audit and quality checks by specialist teams. We continue to review processes to ensure they remain appropriate and effective.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Flood Control

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure long-term support and funding for flood prevention schemes.

Lord De Mauley: This Government has developed a six-year programme of work, involving over 1,400 projects, to improve defences throughout the country between 2015 and 2021. This has been made possible by our record level of commitment by investing £2.3 billion in improving defences over the coming six years. Efficiency gains will ensure this funding goes even further. This work is projected to reduce the risk of flooding or erosion to at least 300,000 households by 2021, and avoid around £30 billion in economic damages.

Rights of Way

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the percentage change in spending on rights of way and countryside access by each local highway authority between 2010–11 and 2014–15.

Lord De Mauley: Local highway authorities are responsible for protecting the rights of the public to use footpaths and other rights of way. They are also responsible for determining their own local spending priorities and it is for local people to hold them to account. Consequently, the information requested is held by each local highway authority, not centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Trees: Urban Areas

Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which department is responsible for the planting and care of trees in the urban environment.

Lord De Mauley: No single Government department is responsible for the planting of trees in the urban environment, although Defra has general responsibility for forestry and tree health issues in England. The Government’s Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January 2013 recognised the social and environmental benefits of urban trees. The Government has backed this up by supporting charities and community groups to plant one million new trees through the Big Tree Plant, many in urban areas of the greatest deprivation. This is, however, only a fraction of the total number of urban trees in England, the vast majority of which will have been planted by local authorities or private landowners.   As in rural areas, the care of urban trees principally falls to the owner of the land on which they are planted, so the care of trees in our cities’ streets and public parks is generally the responsibility of the local authority. There are also numerous instances of Government bodies such as the Forestry Commission and the Animal and Plant Health Agency working closely with local authorities and landowners to address tree and plant health issues in their area. For example, the Forestry Commission has been working closely with local authorities in London on oak processionary moth.

Bees: Imports

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they are permitting the importation of bumble-bees from overseas which could carry disease.

Lord De Mauley: Protecting the country from disease is a key priority and we work closely with countries across the globe to make sure that we are well placed to prevent the movement of animal and plant diseases.   EU legislation lays down rules for importing bumble bees; this does not allow the Government to ban imports. Where notifiable diseases are detected, safeguard measures are introduced by the European Commission. Bumble bees may only be imported if they are accompanied by a completed and signed health certificate. The competent authority/veterinary service within the country of origin must make sure that the conditions specified in the certificate are fulfilled, including freedom from proscribed pests and diseases.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Public Sector: Property

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have a policy position on the disposal of property assets by local authorities, fire authorities and combined authorities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: This Government has actively encouraged councils to make better use of their property assets, including selling surplus property, in order to free up brownfield land and to generate broader savings. Indeed, councils are sitting on £2.5 billion of surplus operational assets according to their own returns (source: DCLG, Local Government Finance Statistics England, June 2014).Legally, the framework for the disposal of assets by local authorities, fire authorities and combined authorities is set out in the Local Government Act 1972. The legislation gives authorities the power to dispose of land as they see fit and for the best price reasonably obtainable. Local authorities are not always obliged to sell assets to the highest bidder. In certain circumstances they are free to accept a lower offer where the lower price is offset by wider public benefits. This is set out in the General Disposal Consent which permits local authorities to make disposals at less than best consideration without reference to the Secretary of State provided the undervalue does not exceed £2 million. In cases where a proposed disposal is not covered by this general consent an authority would have to apply to the Secretary of State for a specific consent. Each application is considered on its own merits.

HM Treasury

National Savings Bonds: Pensioners

Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to enable Pensioner Bonds to be taken out by an eligible pensioner in the name of a grandchild.

Lord Deighton: There are no plans to enable eligible pensioners to take out the bonds in the name of a grandchild. These new market-leading savings bonds and are designed to help support those who rely on their savings in retirement. Low interest rates have played an important part in stimulating the recovery. But there are those – especially pensioners – who rely on a reasonable rate of interest on their savings.

Business: Loans

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are proposing in relation to banks that have missold business loans to customers.

Lord Deighton: Business lending is not, and never has been, within the scope of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) conduct rules. The position that has traditionally been taken in the UK is that the terms and conditions of contracts between businesses (e.g. loans) are not generally prescribed by government. The government is committed to regulating only where there is a clear case for doing so, in order to avoid putting additional costs on lenders that would ultimately lead to higher costs for businesses customer.   However, the smaller end of the business community does receive regulatory protection. In the UK, loans to the smallest businesses (sole traders, partnerships consisting of 2 or 3 partners and unincorporated businesses) of less than £25,000 are treated as regulated consumer credit agreements (CCAs).   This protects consumers, typically in their dealings with banks where there is the potential for consumer detriment. Around three quarters of the 4.8 million UK SMEs are sole traders, partnerships consisting of 2 or 3 partners and unincorporated businesses.   For those loans which are not treated as CCA loans, there is also a clear route of recourse for businesses that feel they have been mis-sold a business loan to pursue. A business’ first recourse should be to its bank’s customer complaints department. This is a route that has been taken by a number of customers. The FCA’s rules require the banks to properly investigate all complaints and, through ongoing supervision, it continues to monitor the banks’ complaint handling process.   Furthermore, micro businesses with a turnover of less than 2 million Euros and fewer than 10 employees have recourse to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS is an independent, non-governmental body, established under statute to provide for the proportionate, prompt and informal resolution of complaints against financial services firms. It provides a free, independent dispute resolution service for bank customers and has a special team looking at this issue. Its decisions are binding on the firm concerned.   Beyond this, businesses are expected to be responsible for ensuring that contracts they make with other businesses are in their interest. However, if a business believes a bank has acted unlawfully, they can seek to take action through the courts

Department for Culture Media and Sport

Tourism: Wind Power

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Navitus Bay wind park scheme does not adversely affect the tourism industry in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and its contribution to the local economy and employment.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: It would not be appropriate to comment on the proposed project given the Planning Inspectorate’s examination ahead of the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change’s eventual decision.

Holiday Accommodation

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to support the holiday rental market, in the light of the report published by the London School of Economics in November 2014 The economic impact of holiday rentals in the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: VisitEngland recognises the value of the holiday rental market and works with a range of industry partners in order to represent the breadth of product available in England. The holiday rental market is of huge importance, and VisitEngland partners with a range of holiday cottage companies and park operators, driving overnight visits through this vital sector of the industry. VisitEngland also promotes a number of self-catering organisations on its website. (See link http://www.visitengland.com/self-catering-accommodation-and-cottages#/)